Rock Xtreme CTX

But, more importantly, it's a far less offensive unit to carry around and look at than the weighty Evesham. Any power notebook will make itself felt on your shoulder over a day of travel, but the Rock is a significant 1.5kg lighter than the Evesham, while under light use it lasted for almost one hour, 45 minutes. Both systems are equally wide, allowing for full-sized keyboards with separate number pads.

Admittedly, it's debatable how important portability is when buying a power notebook: for some, it's all about speed. Judged on this criterion, the Evesham clearly wins with its significantly higher application benchmark score. It also boasts twice the storage and a far superior screen - the thing you'll actually be looking at for the next few years. However, if your priority is gaming on the move, the Rock is a great choice thanks to its superb 3D performance, relatively low weight and the fact it's £500 cheaper than the Quest.

Author: Clive Webster